NEMA Confirms Two Dead, 20 Rescued in Lagos Building Collapse
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that two people died, while 20 others were rescued after a two-storey building collapsed on Monday at 54 Cole Street, near Cemetery Bus Stop, Oyingbo, Lagos State.
NEMA disclosed this in a statement posted on its X handle on Tuesday, noting that its Lagos Operations Office led a multi-agency response to distress alerts and immediately deployed rescue personnel and equipment to the scene.
The operation was carried out in collaboration with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and other emergency services.
“Upon arrival, emergency teams discovered several occupants trapped beneath the debris. After several hours of intensive operations, 20 persons were rescued alive, while those with injuries were promptly evacuated to nearby hospitals for treatment. Sadly, two fatalities were confirmed,” NEMA said.
The agency added that all occupants were accounted for after the final phase of the operation, and the search and rescue mission was officially concluded.
The Nigeria Police Force supervised the clearance of the site and maintained security and crowd control throughout the exercise.
NEMA also revealed that the collapsed building had earlier been marked for demolition by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), but occupants allegedly ignored repeated evacuation directives.
A shop owner, Mrs Adaeze, who spoke to PUNCH Metro, confirmed that residents were aware the building was distressed. “I was called in the middle of the night that the building had collapsed, and I had to rush down here. When I got here, I saw that my goods worth millions of naira were trapped under the building. The government had been giving us notice to leave because the building was distressed, but the owner was not cooperating,” she lamented.
Another resident, Habeeb Jamiu, said the incident happened after a midnight rainfall, adding that he and others heard the cries of trapped occupants before emergency responders arrived. “It is true that the building was in distress. There were visible cracks everywhere, and we often wondered why they were still living there,” he said.
NEMA commended the professionalism and swift response of all the emergency teams involved and urged residents to always comply with safety and evacuation notices to avoid preventable tragedies.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
